Chandeliers are decorative branched light fixtures that add elegance to a room. Chandeliers are commonly adorned with crystal prisms or other decorative components. Conventional chandeliers, whether simple or elaborate, are arranged in a fixed configuration and therefore include an unchanging appearance. Chandeliers may be metal/iron based and include a number of metal surfaces. Chandeliers are often costly and it would be cost prohibitive to maintain multiple chandeliers having different appearances or configurations in order to provide different décor to a setting.
In order to enhance the versatility of a chandelier and provide a changeable décor, it would be advantageous and desirable to quickly and simply change the appearance and/or configuration of a chandelier without requiring an exhaustive and time-consuming disassembly and reassembly process as would typically be required to replace components of the chandelier. Changing the position of components of a chandelier would require drilling holes through metal or other hardware of the chandelier. Such a process would be time-consuming, exhaustive and frustrating.
The above considerations are similarly true for other lighting fixtures, household fixtures, appliances and furnishings that may include various adornments and would benefit from having a versatile appearance. Such fixtures, appliances and furnishings include candelabras, candle holders, ceiling fans, strip lighting, sconces, bobeshes, track lighting, bobeches, lampshades, lamps and various overhead lighting fixtures, for example. It would be advantageous to change the appearance of such fixtures, appliances and furnishings simply and quickly without replacing the entire unit or undertaking the elaborate disassembly and reassembly process to enhance the versatility of the unit. Changing the appearance in a simple and quick fashion would be especially useful for fixtures that are difficult to access, such as fixtures suspended overhead, and that would require a person to ascend a ladder and/or to work in an awkward position.
Chandeliers and other overhead fixtures and appliances that are typically hung from a ceiling, are also difficult to clean as a person must ascend and remain high above the floor on a ladder or other platform to either clean individual components of the chandelier while still attached to the body of the fixture and in close proximity to other components or disassemble the chandeliers' trimmings such as crystal prisms or other decorative components, which involves an intricate and time-consuming process. It would therefore be desirable to be able to clean a chandelier without requiring a person to remain at the height of the chandelier for an extended period of time to either perform the cleaning operation or to disassemble and reassemble the chandelier components. Moreover, it would be especially desirable to clean a chandelier without requiring a person to ascend to the height of the chandelier at all. Even for fixtures, appliances and furnishings not suspended overhead, it is generally desirable to individually clean detached components separately, rather than cleaning an assembled unit or requiring the elaborate and time-consuming disassembly and reassembly process.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a chandelier and other fixtures, appliances and furnishings that can simply and easily be disassembled and reassembled for cleaning, as well as reconfigured to provide a different appearance. The present invention addresses these and other needs.